Aust police to help address law, order in Highlands

AUSTRALIAN police officers will be sent in to the western districts of the Highlands region to help address law and order issues.
Prime Minister Peter O’Neill told the Parliament that the Australian government had made a commitment to send its police officers to the western part of the Highlands region.
They are awaiting the sorting out of documents.
“They have asked for immunity before they can come – immunity from situations like police chasing criminals and (if) a criminal is shot, they won’t be held accountable for it,” he said.
“Basically, its immunity from carrying out police duty.”
O’Neill said the immunity would also extend to cover local police officers as long as they were in the line of duty.
Enga Governor Sir Peter Ipatas had called on the Government to bring in Australian police to serve in the region.
Sir Peter told Parliament yesterday the country was shocked by the violence in Milne Bay last week, but they experienced similar situations in Enga, Southern Highlands and Hela.
“Burning of properties happen almost every day, with additional law and order issues. We are faced with serious law and order issues and the police in the area have become a liability,” he said.
“Australia is willing to help us fix this.”